


Muse

by darkalbino



Category: Naruto
Genre: AU, Fingering, Frot, Humor, M/M, Paint Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2014-08-11
Packaged: 2018-02-12 18:27:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2120226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkalbino/pseuds/darkalbino
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For his final project, art student Naruto wants to turn in something, for lack of a better word, utterly awesome. Too bad he's been stuck for inspiration for months - but that's about to change. Damn that bastard, and his pretty face.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Muse

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written and posted on FF.net: October 27, 2009

“What do you mean, you don’t _have_ it?” Sakura hisses under her breath, cradling her own portfolio to her chest. She looks over her shoulder at Mr. Umino, who is approaching her and Naruto’s table. Snapping back to Naruto, she whispers, “Did you leave it at home?”  
  
“No, it’s not done yet,” Naruto whispers back.  
  
“Well how long do you think–“  
  
“I haven’t even started it.”  
  
Sakura’s jade eyes widen. “Naruto! That is so irresponsible, how could you–“  
  
“Sakura, may I see your finished work?”  
  
Sakura turns away from her friend and smiles at their teacher, gently pulling her artwork from its casing and flipping it so he can see.  
  
Mr. Umino observes the painting.  
  
At the top is a pair of full, open lips settled on a rounded chin and dark skin. There’s a banana peel spilling from the bottom lip, and a trail of garbage litters the rest of the painting. At the foot of the canvas is the title, appropriately named _Talking Trash_.  
  
Iruka makes a pleased noise at his student, “Very clever, Sakura!”  
  
Sakura smiles at him. “Thank you, Mr. Umino.”  
  
The man nods and turns his attention to Naruto. “And of course, I saved the best for last!”  
  
Naruto grins sheepishly and sinks lower into his seat. “The best isn’t really…finished, yet.”  
  
Iruka’s brow crumples in disappointment, the corners of his lips dipping into a tiny frown. “Please see me after class, Naruto.”  
  
He goes back to his desk, and Sakura flinches as Naruto’s forehead hits the table with a loud _thump_.

* * *

 

  
“Naruto, you do understand that your final project is worth forty percent of this whole quarter?”  
  
Naruto hangs his head. “Yeah,” he mutters.  
  
Iruka spreads his hands out with a little sigh of disbelief. “And that you’ve had nearly _two months_ to work on it?”  
  
Naruto’s head snaps up, his arms flying out in defense, “It’s not like I haven’t been trying! I mean, I’ve gotten _some_ stuff out. But none of it’s _right_ , you know what I mean?”  
  
Iruka rubs his forehead and cards his fingers through his loose, dark hair. “Naruto, this project is about effort and seeing how you’ve improved over the year. It doesn’t have to be–“  
  
Naruto slams his hands on the man’s desk, making him jump back a bit. “But it does, Iruka!” he yells, using his teacher’s first name to make him realize how serious he is about this. “I want it to be! I know I can do it, I just – gah!” Naruto’s fingers tangle into his hair as he lets out a sound of pure frustration. “It’s like there’s this huge BLOCK in my brain that’s hiding all my ideas from me! And I can’t get around it!”  
  
Iruka blinks. “You mean,” he chuckles, “ _art block_?”  
  
Naruto waves his arms around frantically. “You see how screwed up I am?! C’mon Iruka, give me a little more time, to find some inspiration!”  
  
Iruka stares at his favorite student for a couple of heavy moments, the tense atmosphere broken when he sighs and lays his palms on the table. “All right, Naruto, only because this is the first time you’ve needed an extension, I’m giving you until Monday to come up with something. A whole weekend, it better be something fantastic.”  
  
Naruto beams and pounds a fist against his chest. “I won’t let you down!”  
  


* * *

 

  
“Fuck, I am so gonna let him down,” Naruto mumbles into his cell phone as he stares at the blank canvas in front of him.  
  
“ _Don’t be such a pessimist!_ ” Sakura scolds.  
  
Naruto’s eyes narrow, until they are little blue and white slits. “Jeez,” he whispers, gaze fixed on the utter _blankness_ in front of him. He growls quietly. “Think, _think_ , _**think**_ -“  
  
“ _Okay, Winnie the Pooh, that’s obviously not going to work._ ”  
  
Naruto throws one hand up and claps it over his eyes with a long groan. “It’s no use Sakura!” he cries. “It’s like my inspiration’s been _zapped_.” Naruto brings his fingertips together and lets them spring out to accentuate the word, despite that Sakura can’t see. “I need something… new, I dunno.” He drops his arm as his phone beeps, cutting Sakura’s voice off. “Hold on a sec.” Naruto answers the waiting call, “Hey, Kiba.”  
  
“ _Yo! Any luck?_ ”  
  
Naruto shakes his head and adjusts himself on his stool, glaring at the canvas. “Nah, nothing. Hold on, I’ve got Sakura on the other line. I’ll do a three way.”  
  
“ _Awww yeeeah_.”  
  
Naruto chuckles, “Shut up, man.” He puts Sakura back on and presses his fingers into his eyelids.  
  
“ _Naruto_ ,” Kiba says, “ _You need to get out, dude. There’s a whole world of inspirational shit out there that you’re not gonna find in your apartment._ ”  
  
And Sakura, ever being the voice of reason, rebuts with, “ _No, he needs to stay inside and finish! You know how you get when you procrastinate, Naruto_!”  
  
Naruto opens his mouth but Kiba cuts in before he even gets a word out. “ _Don’t be such a killjoy, Sakura! C’mon, we can go eat at that new place. What was it?_ Phoenix?”  
  
“Phoenix?!” Sakura squeals with pure excitement, making Naruto cringe away from his phone.  
  
He slowly brings it back to his ear and frowns. “What’s that? I never heard of-”  
  
“ _Oh yeah, Kiba’s totally right! You should take a break, Naruto-_ “  
  
“Wait a minute, wait wait,” Naruto says, sounding confused. “You were completely against this a second ago, what’s this ‘Phoenix’ place?”  
  
“ _Yeah Sakura, I know women are fickle creatures, but–_ “  
  
“ _What? Can’t I want my best friend to have a bit of a break?_ ” Sakura counters, her voice giggly and sweet. But in a spilt moment, like all women, that voice twists into stern and do-not-fucking-question-me, “ _Naruto, I’ll come pick you up in five minutes. Kiba, we’ll meet you there_.”  
  
“ _Uhhh_ …”  
  
 _Click_.  
  
Naruto blinks and leans forward. “Sakura? Sakuraaaa? …Damn, she was serious.” He sighs and scratches the back of his head. “Better get ready.”  
  
“ _Heh, don’t worry man, we’ll find you some inspiration._ ”  
  
Naruto’s hand lowers, rubbing his neck as he looks forlornly at his blank canvas. “Yeah,” he murmurs.  
  


* * *

 

  
Naruto soon learns that “five minutes” in girl time really meant “for-fucking-ever” in normal time, and Kiba in particular is not happy about it. His eyebrow is twitching as he watches Sakura from across the booth, fixing her lip gloss with the help of a compact mirror. “Damn, Sakura, this isn’t a five star restaurant! It’s a little family owned place, you look like you’re going to the damn prom.”  
  
Sakura closes her eyes, running the wand over her top lip, and snaps her mirror shut. She smacks her lips and tucks her materials away into her purse. “There’s nothing wrong with a girl wanting to look good, Kiba,” she huffs.  
  
Naruto stares as she pulls up her strapless, black mini-dress. “Yeah, but don’t you think you’re overdoing it a –“  
  
“Here.”  
  
Naruto flinches as the word is followed by three menus being literally tossed onto the center of the table, one of them skidding and hitting the wall the booth was connected to. He frowns and looks up at who interrupted him, locking eyes with a tall, dark-haired man in a short-sleeved black shirt. He has a white apron tied around his waist, long bangs on either side of his pale face, and a non-too friendly sneer on his lips.  
  
Naruto opens his mouth, about to comment on how waiters shouldn’t be throwing shit at their customers when Sakura suddenly shoots by him so she can get closer to the man. “Oh my gosh! Hi, Sasuke! I was hoping you’d be our waiter today!”  
  
Sasuke rolls his eyes. “Hi, Sakura,” he snips as he pulls out a small notepad and a pencil. “Tell me what you’re drinking.”  
  
Naruto is silent for moment before shrugging and picking up his menu with a smile.”What’ve ya got?”  
  
Sasuke clicks his tongue, turning a sharp eye to him. “Same drinks every other restaurant you’ve ever been to have ‘got’, dumbass.”  
  
Naruto bristles as his head jerks to Sasuke. “The fuck did you call me, you pompous assho–“ a slim hand claps over his mouth and yanks him back.  
  
Sakura tilts her head with a nervous little giggle; covering up Naruto’s muffled cursing with her hand. “He’ll have a Coke, and water, for me.”  
  
Sasuke neatly writes out the order as he turns to their friend, who was, quite frankly, cracking up in his little corner over there. “And you?” he deadpans.  
  
Kiba’s laughter dies down slowly. “Aw dude, yeah – ahaha – yeah, get me a root beer.”  
  
Sasuke leaves without another word and Sakura lets go of Naruto. But before he can complain about the walking dick that is their waiter, Kiba pounds a fist on the table with a huge grin. “So _that’s_ why you wanted to come here so badly and got all made up and shit! You’re hot for one of the Uchihas!”  
  
Sakura sighs dreamily, resting her chin in her palms as she stares off in the direction Sasuke went. “You mean _the_ Uchiha.”  
  
Kiba sticks a pinky his ear and closes his eyes. “Nah, I think his bro’s hotter. I’d hit that in a second–“  
  
“Are you guys insane?!” Naruto hollers, his hands floundering around in disbelief. “That guy was total asshole! Who the fuck does he think he is?!”  
  
Kiba opens his eyes and chuckles. “Dude, his family owns the restaurant.”  
  
Sakura nods and leans over the table, cupping the side of her mouth with her hand. “I heard they ran a big company that had to shut down because the father was involved in some shady mafia dealings in order to bring down competing businesses. So now they’re lying low, even though they’ve got _tons_ of money.” She sits back and wriggles in her seat, her fingers curled under her chin. “Sasuke’s such a _bad_ boy!”  
  
Kiba’s hand falls over his crotch, unabashedly rubbing at it as he licks his lips. “I heard Itachi killed a guy who tried to blackmail his dad.”  
  
Naruto’s mouth falls open in shock. “What the hell is _wrong_ with you two? They’re a bunch of psychotic assholes and it turns you _on_?  
  
Sakura hushes him as Sasuke comes back and all but dumps the drinks in front of them, not lifting a finger to help as the liquid sloshes over the mouths of the glasses, droplets dotting the table. “You’ve had ample time to pick something to eat. Hurry up and stop wasting my time.”  
  
Naruto’s hands slam on the table as he bolts up from his seat. “Fuck you, bastard!”  
  
“Naruto!” Sakura yells.  
  
But Naruto ignores her and points at Sasuke’s face. “See if you’re getting a good tip!”  
  
Sasuke snorts, amused, “A tip? From you, idiot? Tch, if I spat on a napkin it’d probably be worth more than any ‘tip’ you could leave me.”  
  
Naruto feels his face burning with anger and in a flash he has his arm up and a fist aimed, but Sakura latches onto him. “Naruto, don’t cause a scene!”  
  
Naruto glances down at her and jerks his arm out of her grasp. His nostrils flare, hands clenched at his sides as he glares at Sasuke. “You’re not worth it,” he spits through gritted teeth, then shoves past Sasuke and leaves the restaurant.  
  
Sakura gets up to follow her friend, but pauses as she gets out of the booth to swoon over Sasuke. “Sorry about him, Sasuke, maybe sometime we could go out for a movie –“  
  
“No.”  
  
“All right, maybe next time!” Sakura chimes, completely undeterred, and hurries after her friend. “Naruto, come back! We came in _my car_!”  
  
Sasuke squints at her departure and stiffens when he hears clapping, turning to find Kiba still in the booth, shaking his head and laughing. “Aw man, that was awesome. It’s hilarious to see Naruto get riled up like that, not a lot of people can do that you know, props to you – “  
  
“So I’m assuming you’re the one paying for the drinks then.”  
  
Kiba stops clapping and frowns. “Ah, fuck.” He sighs and stands up, reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a twenty. He shoves the bill to Sasuke’s chest. “There ya go,” he grins, “and you can keep the change if you tell Itachi I said he’s a nice piece of ass.”  
  
Sasuke is about to protest, but instead looks down at the money and rolls his eyes. “I’ll be sure to give him the message.”  
  
Kiba pats his chest twice. “Good man,” he hooks his thumbs into the belt loops of his jeans and walks away.  
  
Sasuke scowls at him and tucks the money into a pocket of his apron, then looks to the spilled drinks on the table and smirks. “Naruto, huh?”  
  


* * *

 

  
“Mother fucking fucker, _fuck him_!” Naruto kicks one of his paint cans and punches the wall, his apartment bathed in the moonlight streaming in through his window. His breathing is heavy and forced as he watches the blue paint slowly puddle over the tarp laid out under his easel. He is so focused on it that he jumps, startled, when his phone starts vibrating in his pocket.  
  
Naruto pulls it out and flips it open, seeing Sakura’s picture on the small, bright screen. His mind flashes back to her dropping him off, her worried frown and her soft words, “Don’t let it bother you, just brush it off.”  
  
He snaps the phone shut and throws it violently against the couch, where it bounces off and clatters across the wooden floor. His head fills with Sasuke, until that stupid bastard’s face is burned into his retinas and he sees nothing else. “ _Asshole_ ,” he whispers.  
  
Naruto’s eyes jerk to his canvas, his fingers slowly curling into his hair as his frustration grows. The rage _burns_ inside him, howling and banging at his chest, desperately clawing its way out.  
  
Naruto grabs his stool and a can of red paint, slams down in front of the white square, something disturbingly caught between an angry scowl and a pleased grin stretching his lips across his face.  
  


* * *

 

  
Sakura flips the painting over in her hands, awestruck as she stares at it, her mouth rounded into an impressed little ‘o’. “Naruto, this is amazing!” She clutches her blouse with one hand, right over heart. “It’s so _passionate_ ; I get this bubble in my chest just from looking at it!”  
  
Kiba, who is lying back on the couch with his legs hooked over its arm, reaches up and takes the painting from her. He holds it over his head and blinks up at it before laughing. “It looks like some chick got her period all over it.”  
  
“Ew, pig!” Sakura smacks his feet as Naruto chuckles beside them.  
  
“Well I’d rather think it’s that than admit that bastard inspired me to paint something awesome, just by pissing me off.”  
  
Sakura smiles and leans on Kiba’s knees. “Are you going to turn this in for your project?”  
  
Naruto shakes his head, crossing his arms over his chest. “Nah nah, it’s still not… it’s not what I wanted, what I was goin’ for, you know?”  
  
Sakura giggles as Kiba wriggles his toes to tickle her legs. “Do you even _know_ what you’re going for?” She drops her elbows down on Kiba’s stomach, resting her head in her hands as he yelps in pain.  
  
Naruto shrugs and takes his painting back from Kiba, frowning at it. “I guess not. I’m just kinda waiting, for something to _hit_.”  
  
Kiba rolls his eyes and snorts, “Such an artist.”  
  
Sakura nods, drumming her fingers against her cheeks. “He’s right, Naruto; you don’t have time to be picky.”  
  
Kiba gets up on his elbows. “Yeah man, the only thing that’s gonna be hittin’ you is a big fat ‘F’ if you don’t paint something soon.”  
  
Naruto’s eyes dull as he continues to stare at the first decent thing he’s done in a while. “Don’t remind me.”  
  


* * *

 

  
Once more Naruto finds himself in front of an empty portrait.  
  
 _Pop_.  
  
But is Naruto streaming his paintbrush across it in an effort to create his next masterpiece?  
  
 _Pop_.  
  
Nope, he’s doing something far more important.  
  
 _Pop_.  
  
Trying to beat his own record for largest spit bubble ever made. His latest attempt (which managed to touch his nose) also pops, sending little spittle droplets scattering around his lips. Naruto groans low and long, wiping his arm across his mouth to clean up the mess he’s made.  
  
His small TV is muted in the background, and there are manga books scattered around his floor, along with quite a few empty cups of ramen. He’s done pretty much everything _but_ work on his painting.  
  
Naruto sighs and buries his face in his hands.  
  
Even if Kiba wasn’t exactly on spot with his choice of where to go, he _was_ right in saying that Naruto needed to go out and get inspired. Sitting here wasn’t going to push him anywhere. He kept finding things to distract himself with, and if he wasn’t focused on something, then his mind tended to drift to that bastard and how he really, _really_ wanted to introduce Sasuke’s pretty face to his fist.  
  
Before walking out of his apartment, Naruto picks up his messenger bag from beside his couch, the one that carries his sketchbook and drawing utensils.  
  


* * *

  
  
Hours later it is already sunset and Naruto has yet to find one thing to draw. He’s passed by everything from giggling children playing on colorful toys in the park to a couple on a bench kissing passionately under the glowing, fiery expanse of the setting sun.  
  
Nothing caught his attention.  
  
Naruto stops walking and glances up, nearly face-palming at where he’s ended up. _I did not just subconsciously walk here_. He sighs and pushes the entrance open.  
  
Naruto adjusts the bag slung around his chest as he scoots into a booth, crossing his arms on the table and resting his head in the crook of his elbow. His heel is tapping rapidly against the floor. In nervousness? Anticipation? He’s not entirely sure, but at the very least, he knows who he’s waiting for. But for the love of Christ, he does _not_ want to admit it.  
  
“And what can I get for you?”  
  
Naruto’s eyes flit up in surprise at the voice. He raises his head with a tiny frown. “You’re not…”  
  
The woman tilts her head and smiles sweetly. “Hm?”  
  
Naruto tries to smile back but lowers his eyes; a little put off that Sasuke isn’t his waiter, and largely uncomfortable with the disappointment blooming in his chest because of it. “I’m not trying to be rude or anything Miss, but I was kinda,” the words catch in his throat, and he has to swallow and lick his lips before he continues, “I was actually kinda hoping… that Sasuke, would be my waiter.”  
  
The woman laughs. “Oh sweetie, you certainly wouldn’t be the first! I thought having my sons work here would be a nice family activity but I’m afraid Sasuke was a little too… abrasive for the job, so he’s at home.”  
  
Naruto snorts a laugh. _Got that right_. He stands up and scratches his cheek nervously. “I think I’m gonna go then, I’m really sorry if I wasted your time.”  
  
“Well if you change your mind, I’d be happy to see you back here.”  
  
Naruto smiles and nods. “For sure, thanks!”  
  


* * *

 

  
As Naruto leaves _Phoenix_ , he can’t help but wonder how such a nice woman could have birthed such a total dickwad. But no matter how much of a dick he is, Naruto is afraid that Sasuke has become his quick fix for inspiration, and the tugging in his gut won’t quit until he sees him again and squeezes another painting out of him.  
  
Naruto leans up against the side of the restaurant and pulls out his sketchbook and a pencil, flipping the book open and taking out his cell phone. He dials Sakura’s number and holds the phone between his shoulder and ear as his hand remains poised over his book.  
  
Three rings and, “ _Hey Naruto, what’s up?_ ”  
  
“Hey Sakura, listen, I need a favor.”  
  
“ _Sure, shoot_.”  
  
Naruto rolls his shoulder and taps the tip of his pencil against his book, a passive expression on his face. “I need you to tell me where Sasuke lives.”  
  
“ _Why do you need to see Sasuke? I thought you didn’t like him!_ ”  
  
“Yeah, well, the devil isn’t ugly. He’s the only thing that’s been able to inspire me in months. I just need to see him, even if it’s to fight with him.”  
  
“ _I’m not giving you Sasuke’s address so you can fight with him_!” She pauses for a moment before sputtering, “ _Wh-What even makes you think I have his address?!_ ”  
  
Naruto sighs and tilts his chin up. “Sakura, I’ve known you since we were eight. You’ve had forty-two crushes, twenty six hook ups, seven real relationships, and always did a background search on guys you were super interested in, even when their answer was clearly ‘no’.”  
  
There is a long stretch of silence, and then a flick up at the corner of Naruto’s lips as Sakura grumbles Sasuke’s address to him and his pencil scratches across the page.  
  


* * *

 

  
Night has fallen now, the moon full and glaring white as Naruto looks up in awe and knocks on the door.  
  
The Uchiha home isn’t exactly a _mansion_ , but compared to his own dinky little apartment, it might as well be fucking Disney World, minus the magic and general awesome.  
  
The door opens and at first glance, Naruto thinks it is Sasuke who’s answered, but as he looks closer he notices the differences. This man is taller and has longer hair, and is a lot more feminine looking than the bastard. “Uh… hi, I’m looking for Sasuke?”  
  
Fem-man stares at Naruto and snorts. “Little brother,” he calls, “there’s another little fanboy here to see you.”  
  
Naruto jerks back, his face going red. “Hey hey! I’m not a fanboy!”  
  
Sasuke’s deep voice is heard in the background, “Tell him to fuck off.”  
  
Intersexual continues to stare at Naruto. “Are you sure? This one’s slightly attractive.”  
  
“ _Slightly_?!” Naruto hollers.  
  
“Wait, I know that annoying voice.”  
  
Naruto watches as Sasuke pushes Questionable out of the doorway. His eyes flicker over Sasuke.  
  
He is dressed in light blue PJ pants with little red and white fans printed on them, and a thin, short-sleeved, white undershirt. There’s also a pair of thick, black-rimmed glasses sitting on his nose and his feet are bare.  
  
Naruto can’t help but wonder how the hell Sasuke manages to _still_ look good while sporting the I’m-a-nerd-who-just-got-out-of-bed look.  
  
Sasuke looks him up and down and crosses his arms. “Hn, Naruto, was it? What are you doing, stalking me?”  
  
“This is Naruto? Ha, I take back what I said about your tastes, little brother.”  
  
“ _Itachi_ ,” Sasuke growls in warning while one of Naruto’s eyebrows quirks up.  
  
Itachi waves a dismissive hand at his brother and looks down at Naruto. “Do me a favor and tell your dog-looking friend that unless he intends to back up his barking with bites, I have no interest.”  
  
Naruto makes a face. “Ugh,” he steps closer to Sasuke as Itachi flicks his hair and walks away. “Sasuke, can I talk to you?”  
  
Sasuke’s brow furrows. “About what?”  
  
“Just, please?”  
  
“It’s the middle of the night, dumbass–“  
  
“You better stop with that name-calling shit, bastard!”  
  
Sasuke’s eyes narrow as his hand slides up the doorframe. “I don’t even know you beyond the fact that you are loud, annoying, and–“  
  
“I think I need you,” Naruto blurts, a bit desperate, but mostly out of frustration.  
  
Sasuke stiffens slightly. “…S’cuse me?”  
  
Naruto steps back and shuffles his feet uncomfortably, looking away from Sasuke. “Can we please just… come outside?” He turns and walks away, and after a moment, lets out a little sigh of relief as he hears the door close and footfalls trail behind him.  
  


* * *

 

  
Naruto plops down on the grass of Sasuke’s front lawn, while Sasuke gracefully lowers himself and crosses his legs. He lets out an irritated snort, “This isn’t necessary. If you had continued prattling, I probably would have let you inside.”  
  
Naruto is picking at blades of grass, his knees up against his chest. “Nah, I’d rather be out here.” He chuckles, “Your house kinda intimidates me anyway.”  
  
“Hn…”  
  
Naruto bites his lip and scratches the back of his head, then looks up at Sasuke and smiles. “So, uh… sup?”  
  
Sasuke squints at him. “’ _Sup_ ’? You dragged me out here; I can’t be looked at to strike up a conversation.”  
  
Naruto exhales heavily and rubs his hands on his knees. “Okay look, I’ll be straight with you. I’m an artist – ah, aspiring, still in school. And I have this final project –“  
  
“What does this have to do with me?” Sasuke snips impatiently.  
  
“If you’d let me _finish_ , God. So, I’ve been really stuck for a while, you know, art block? _Nothing_ was working, but then I go to your fam’s restaurant and argue with your ass for what? Three minutes? And when I got home, I was totally inspired by the anger and painted something a lot better than the crap I’ve been doing lately.” He looks up to see if Sasuke is still listening to him or has gotten fed up with his rambling and quietly snuck away.  
  
He breathes softly at seeing that he is still there. “What I’m trying to say is… I don’t like you. In fact, you’re such a goddamn dick that I’m pretty sure I hate your guts, but apparently…” He observes Sasuke with artistic eyes. It makes his mouth go dry to see how his face looks almost porcelain under the moonlight, how it brings out these bluish tints in the dark mass of his hair, which at the moment is messy and loose and so wonderfully disorganized. His gaze falls lower, to the tight cling of Sasuke’s shirt, outlining every chiseled contour of his lean and fucking _perfect_ body.  
  
“You inspire me,” Naruto murmurs, unable to look away from Sasuke. “I mean damn, just _looking_ at you right now makes me wanna draw you.”  
  
Sasuke is hoping to God that the darkness is hiding the flush that has risen to his face, rather than the moonlight highlighting it. “…I see,” he says, although he doesn’t really. He just isn’t quite sure how to respond to such a confession.  
  
The tension in the atmosphere is so thick, so palpable, that the thought of it being cramped into a word like “awkward” is nothing short of laughable.  
  
Naruto coughs, startling Sasuke. “So uh, why don’t you tell me about yourself?”  
  
“You first,” Sasuke replies sharply.  
  
“Oh, uh, all right… like I said, Senior in high school, in the art academy. Um, I guess you already know my name, my favorite food is instant ramen, and I live in an apartment across town –“  
  
“You don’t live with your parents?”  
  
Naruto flinches. He’d quietly hoped Sasuke wouldn’t pick out that particular detail. “They died a couple of years ago in a car crash. I was living with my Godfather and his wife until I turned eighteen and moved out with inheritance money.”  
  
“Oh…” Sasuke looks off to the side and closes his eyes, a light red on his cheeks, clearly uncomfortable. “I didn’t mean –”  
  
“Don’t apologize or anything, it’s stupid when people do that, like it’s their fault or something. You didn’t know, it’s cool.” He points to Sasuke, “But now it’s your turn.”  
  
“Tch, there’s not much to say beyond what you see in front of you.”  
  
“Pft, s’not what I heard.”  
  
Sasuke raises a fine brow. “Oh really? And what exactly did you hear?”  
  
Naruto’s legs fell apart so they are crossed, his fingers wrapping around his ankles. “Is it true that your dad had to shut down his company ‘cuz he was outing other competitors? And that your brother killed a guy who tried to blackmail him?”  
  
Sasuke’s lip curls, making a face that clearly shows he has no idea what Naruto is talking about. “Where the hell did you hear that?”  
  
Naruto flushes and shrugs, making Sasuke chuckle. “I suppose when idiots gather, they would spew idiotic things. No, my father _sold_ his company because my mother wanted a life away from all the business, where we could be a ‘real family.’ The name _Phoenix_ was thought of from the mythical bird that rises from ashes and starts a new life… also mom’s idea.”  
  
Naruto smiles at him. “Yeah, I met your mom. Nice lady, unlike you.”  
  
A little puff of air burst from Sasuke’s lips as he stretches his legs out and leans back on his hands. “Yes, dumbass, I’d be a little concerned if I was a nice lady.” They both laugh, slowly but surely chipping away at the tension as they settle into a comfortable air. “That second part,” Sasuke continues, “I wouldn’t put it past my brother to kill someone, but if he has, I doubt it was for our father’s sake.” He lets his head fall back with a frown, digging his nails into the earth. “Your friend is repulsive, by the way.”  
  
“Haha, Kiba? Yeah, he’s really into your bro.”  
  
“Hn.”  
  
Naruto allows his attention to hang on Sasuke, enraptured as he watches him lift his head back up and bring up a slim hand to cover a loud yawn. The action makes the little space between his eyebrows wrinkle, causes his glasses to tilt. _He looks so normal like this_ , Naruto thinks. _So **not** like a total douchebag_.  
  
“Hey, Sasuke?” he murmurs.  
  
Sasuke closes his mouth and lowers his hand, cocking his head as he looks at Naruto with a drowsy expression. “Hm?”  
  
“Would you mind if I drew you? Just your face.”  
  
Sasuke blinks and shrugs. “I guess not.”  
  
Within a beat, Naruto has scrambled through his bag and whipped out his sketchbook and a mechanical pencil. He opens to a blank page and clicks his lead out, glancing once at Sasuke before resting the pad on his thigh and drawing the general outline of Sasuke’s face with light, quick lines.  
  
Sasuke watches Naruto’s arm jerk around for a few minutes before growing bored and finding his eyes drifting away, aimlessly running over the green expanse of his lawn.  
  
It’s a relaxed silence they sit in, outlined by the soft scratching of the pencil, until Naruto suddenly says, “You’ve got a really nice face.”  
  
Sasuke looks at him and Naruto’s face goes beet red. Obviously he hadn’t intended to say that out loud. “Ah – ah I mean, structure! You know, for drawing…”  
  
Sasuke smirks. “Hn, sounds like something a woman would say,” he teases.  
  
“Bastard! I’m not a woman!” He lets out a squawk as Sasuke snatches the pad right out of his hands. “HEY!”  
  
Sasuke looks over his portrait while holding Naruto’s face back with one hand. Naruto’s arms are stretched out toward the sketch, his fingers grabbing at the air. His face can be seen through the spaces of Sasuke’s fingers, and he does not look happy.  
  
When Naruto tries to lurch forward for his pad, Sasuke simply raises a foot and pushes it against Naruto’s stomach, his knee bent at an awkward angle, and yet, he remains perfectly balanced. “Hm,” Sasuke muses, “this is actually quite impressive, Naruto. I like it.”  
  
Naruto stops flailing, his heart beginning to pound furiously as he smiles at the praise. “Really? You mean it?”  
  
Sasuke gives him a look. “Do I seem like the type to dick you around?”  
  
Naruto scoffs, “ _Yeah_.”  
  
Sasuke chuckles and moves back, tossing the sketch to Naruto. “I mean it.”  
  
Naruto beams at the pad, giddy with happiness. “Hey uh, Sasuke,”  
  
”Hn?”  
  
“I was wondering if maybe you wanna come over to my place tomorrow? I’m thinking of maybe painting you for my final project.”  
  
Sasuke’s response is the same, he chuckles and shrugs, like it’s no big deal. “What do I get out of it?”  
  
“Pft, you get to be a model for the great Naruto Uzumaki!” Naruto raises his head haughtily. “What more do you need?”  
  
Sasuke pushes his glasses up and smirks. “This isn’t gonna be one of those cliché things where the artist falls in love with the model, is it?”  
  
Naruto’s lips fall apart, and he stays silent before sputtering, “I never said anything about love! And why can’t the model fall in love with the artist?!”  
  
“Please, dumbass.” Sasuke stands up, wiping the grass off his pants.  
  
“Wait!” Naruto flips Sasuke’s sketch and tears out the next page, scribbling his address across it. He holds it up to Sasuke. “Morning, before ten, you’ll be there?”  
  
“Tch,” Sasuke smiles and closes his fingertips over the opposite end of the paper. “I’ll be there.”  
  


* * *

 

  
Sunday morning Naruto makes sure to put aside his terrible habit of sleeping in and wakes up bright and early at 8 am. Though it hadn’t been that difficult to be honest, because he’d spent most of the night twisting and turning in anticipation and unable to sleep due to his excitement at seeing Sasuke again.  
  
Naruto had totally mis… okay, he hadn’t misjudged Sasuke, he _was_ an asshole, but after spending time with him last night and getting to know him a little better, Naruto found that he didn’t really care. He has to admit that he likes Sasuke despite it, and the thought of spending a whole day alone with the other man makes his heart thump happily in his chest.  
  
Naruto eagerly tries to make himself presentable. He takes a shower, one of those really thorough ones where you just grab that soap and rub your skin raw. He brushes his teeth; finger combs his blond hair, and dresses in a white tank top and frayed jeans.  
  
Naruto quickly sets up his paints and easel, already running the colors he’d have to mix in his mind to catch the bluish hue of Sasuke’s dark hair, the creamy, pale texture of his skin, the jet black of his eyes – he can’t remember the last time he was so excited about painting something, let alone some _one_.  
  
By 10:45, Naruto is laughing to himself, thinking God’s gift to men must have gotten lost.  
  
By 11:15, Naruto is starting to worry. He wonders if Sasuke is all right, he doesn’t seem like the type to say he’d do something and then not do it.  
  
But by noon, Naruto is just plain pissed.  
  
He is lying back on his couch, twirling a paintbrush between his fingers with a very nasty scowl on his face.  
  
Naruto sighs and throws his paintbrush at the ceiling in anger and more surprisingly, a feeling of hurt. “Fucker…”  
  
Sasuke wasn’t coming.  
  


* * *

 

  
“Just a large pepperoni,” Naruto says into the phone.  
  
“With breadsticks.”  
  
“No, no just the pizza.”  
  
”Would you like to add another topping to that for just two dollars?”  
  
“What? No, I just want pepperoni.”  
  
“With a two liter drink–”  
  
“No! Just the pizza!”  
  
“The sausage pizza?”  
  
“Ye – No! NO! PEPPERONI!”  
  
“Would you like a dessert with –“  
  
“DUDE, I JUST WANT A LARGE PEPPERONI! JESUS CHRIST!”  
  
“All right sir, all right, there’s no need to yell. We’ll be right there.”  
  
Naruto huffs out a “thanks” and tosses the phone onto his kitchen table just as the doorbell rings.  
  
Naruto blinks in surprise. “Well damn, at least he got that right.” He gets up and opens the door, staggering back in shock at who is on the other side: “S-Sasuke!”  
  
“Hey, dumbass,” Sasuke greets as he walks right by Naruto into his home.  
  
“What,“ Naruto stammers and closes the door. ”What are you doing here?”  
  
Sasuke raises a brow at him, standing in front of the couch. “I said I’d be here, didn’t I?”  
  
“But I told you before ten! It’s nearly 12:30! I thought you weren’t coming!” Naruto complains, stomping his foot on the ground like a child.  
  
Sasuke looks away from him, a very faint flush filling his cheeks. “Tch, yeah, there was some animal control problem at my house. Your mutt friend was over and he and my brother…. I’m just going to leave it at the living room was _occupied_. That’s where the front door is, and I’m not willing to scar my eyes for your art, sorry.”  
  
Naruto’s palm hits his forehead. _Damn it, it_ would _somehow be Kiba’s fault._ He shakes his head and smiles at Sasuke. “Well you’re here now, so let’s get started.” Naruto picks up the paintbrush he threw earlier and starts picking out specific paint cans, setting them up by his easel.  
  
As he’s doing this, he can feel Sasuke’s eyes on him, watching him move around, and it slowly begins to unnerve him. “Why are you just standing there?” Naruto snaps.  
  
Sasuke snorts and crosses his arms. “I’m many things, Naruto, but I’m afraid psychic isn’t one of them.”  
  
“Uh…”  
  
Sasuke rolls eyes. ”I’m _your_ model.” He spreads his arms.  
  
Naruto’s face heats up, understanding now that Sasuke is waiting for him to tell him what to do. “Oh, yeah…” Naruto has never had a live model before; he can’t say he has much more of an idea of what to do than Sasuke does. He walks up to Sasuke anyway. “Well, uh…”  
  
“What’s wrong with you?”  
  
“Nothing!” Naruto shouts defensively. “This is a first for me too, okay? Calm your shit.”  
  
Sasuke’s lips tilt upward. “Well, how do you want me?”  
  
Whether or not Sasuke is _trying_ to be dirty doesn’t matter to Naruto in the least. A strong, single pulse beats through him at the words, and he shakes his head in an effort to dissipate the less than innocent imagery his mind has brought up. “Here, let’s get rid of this first.”  
  
Naruto’s fingers slide over Sasuke’s shoulders, slipping into his black jacket and pushing it off of him so it drops to the floor. He is pleased to find a sleeveless blue shirt beneath, and Naruto takes his time running his hands back up the hard flesh of Sasuke’s arms. He feels Sasuke shiver and it courses through his fingertips, up his arms, and down his spine until his whole body quakes as well.  
  
“I could have done that,” Sasuke complains.  
  
Naruto grins. “Quiet you, you’re _my_ model.” Oh yeah, Naruto likes the sound of that.  
  
Sasuke glares at him. “Keep talking to me like that and your ‘model’ will walk out with just as much ease as he came in.”  
  
Naruto chuckles and sets Sasuke down on the couch. “Here, just, here put your feet up.” He grabs Sasuke’s feet to set them on the couch as well, but Sasuke snatches them away and puts them up himself.  
  
Naruto tilts his head as he looks at Sasuke. “…No, that’s not right. Here,” Naruto tries to grab his feet again to make him sit but Sasuke jerks away and sets them on the floor.  
  
“I’m not a cripple, Naruto,” he mutters as he leans back against the couch.  
  
Naruto jumps back and holds his palms out. “There! There don’t move!” He hurries back to his materials and falls into his seat, picking up his paintbrush.  
  
Naruto observes Sasuke for a moment and dips his brush into a cream colored can. He smiles brightly at Sasuke before smearing the first stroke of paint across his canvas.  
  


* * *

 

  
Sasuke has to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.  
  
Naruto has paint all over himself, splotches of black and blue and purple on his arms, shirt and jeans, everywhere he has absentmindedly wiped his hands. He stares at Naruto’s eyes, narrowed in concentration, the little poke of his tongue out of the corner of his lips, the steady control of his hands and body as he carefully moves his brush.  
  
The doorbell rings, and Sasuke watches as Naruto snaps out of his trance and looks dumbfounded at Sasuke for a minute, as if he made the sound and Naruto is awaiting an explanation.  
  
“…It’s the door, idiot.”  
  
Naruto blinks, confused, “The… Oh! The pizza!” He sets his tools down and hurries to the door.  
  
“Pizza?” Sasuke murmurs, and then smirks. “What is this, a date?”  
  
“Shut up, ass, I ordered it when I thought you weren’t coming.” Naruto pauses as his hand circles the doorknob, his own grin in place. “And what if it is a date?” he calls back tauntingly.  
  
Sasuke chuckles and gets up slowly from the couch. He goes over to peek at the painting, but is stopped when Naruto returns and shoves a pizza box in his face. “Not until it’s done,” he says.  
  
“Hn,”  
  
Sasuke follows Naruto into the kitchen, sitting down at the small table with him as he flips open the box and grabs a slice for himself.  
  
“So you never really told me what you do, Sasuke.” Naruto picks off a pepperoni and pops it in his mouth. “Mm, how old are you? Do you still go to school? You look pretty young. Have you ever –“  
  
“Don’t hurt yourself, Naruto,” Sasuke says, picking off his own pepperonis and setting them to the side. “I’m nineteen. I graduated from high school at sixteen and was going to university for a couple of years until we moved here. I’m taking a break from schooling to spend more time with family, per my mother’s request.”  
  
Naruto nods. “That’s cool.” He starts taking pepperonis out of the little pile Sasuke has made. “So you’re like –mm– you’re really smart, huh?”  
  
“Doesn’t take a lot of intelligence to impress you,” Sasuke says offhandedly, poking around his pizza but still not eating it.  
  
“See, now why do you have to do that? We’re having a good time, I’m actually starting to like you and you have to go and become a total dick out of nowhere.”  
  
Sasuke frowns as he watches Naruto bite his pizza and pull it back, a long string of gooey cheese connecting him to the slice. He chuckles at the sight and looks to his side. “When you were little, did you have crushes?”  
  
Large, blue eyes settle on Sasuke, and Naruto answers while the cheese string is slowly falling apart from the tug of gravity. “Eh? Sure, lotsa times!” he says, words muffled slightly.  
  
Sasuke opens his mouth, though says nothing at first and closes it before opening again. “How did you treat them?”  
  
Naruto curses as the cheese finally breaks and falls down his chin. He glares at Sasuke for laughing at him, though inside, the sound makes his stomach flip. “Treat them?” he asks.  
  
“Yeah. If you liked someone, did you tell them?”  
  
Naruto puts his pizza down, his fingers shiny with grease and spotted with paint. “Huh… not when I was a kid, no. Haha, I actually used to tease them a lot so it made it look like I didn’t like them. I guess I still do, sometimes.” His eyes brighten as he realizes something, “Hey wait a minute, are you saying…“ Naruto’s words trail off when Sasuke points to his cheek.  
  
“You’ve got some pizza sauce there.”  
  
Naruto raises his arm and wipes it across his cheek, leaving purple streak.  
  
Sasuke shakes his head and flicks his finger up, “A little higher.”  
  
Naruto’s arm slides over the side of his forehead, making another streak. “Did I get it?” he asks.  
  
Sasuke laughs quietly. “Yeah, you got it.”  
  


* * *

 

  
Naruto is staring.  
  
He’s been staring for five minutes. His hand hasn’t moved over the canvas because he can’t stop staring at Sasuke. His heart is thrumming, there’s something exciting and thrilling buzzing in his head, in his chest, in every nerve in his body.  
  
This isn’t just about the inspiration anymore.  
  
Naruto really, _really_ likes Sasuke.  
  
Naruto abruptly stands up, causing Sasuke to look up at him curiously. “What? I didn’t move.”  
  
“No… I wanna try something else.”  
  
“What?”  
  
Naruto moves closer, steeling his hands into fists beside him. “I wanna try painting you nude.”  
  
Sasuke’s eyebrows shoot up and Naruto immediately corrects himself, “If it’s all right with you!”  
  
Sasuke snorts and chuckles, then looks up at Naruto with amusement. He shakes his head with a smile and reaches for the hem of his shirt, lifting it up and off.  
  
Naruto swallows as Sasuke starts on his pants. “I’ll – I’ll be right back.” He leaves Sasuke, hurrying into his bedroom. Naruto shuts his door and looks at himself in the mirror behind it. He is flushed and reddened and thinking things that he should not be thinking to do with someone he’s only known for three days.  
  
But oh God, that body, and that cocky smirk and that deep voice and just _that_. _That_ , in _his_ home, on _his_ couch, and fuck he loved it.  
  
 _That_ was _his_.  
  
Naruto breathes deeply and grabs two handfuls of his hair, calming himself. He sighs and ruffles his hair before yanking a thin, white sheet off his bed and opening the door.  
  
Naruto comes out to see Sasuke completely nude, and not a hint of embarrassment is on his face. He puts in a lot of effort to keep his eyes on Sasuke’s face as he throws the sheet over Sasuke’s left shoulder. He pulls it around under Sasuke’s right arm and drapes it over his lap, letting it spill in a white cascade over his left thigh and onto the floor.  
  
Naruto raises his hands to Sasuke’s shoulders, squeezing them. His eyes have failed; they’ve fallen to Sasuke’s chest. “Okay, are you,” he swallows, allowing his hands to feather up to Sasuke’s throat, until he can feel the less than steady throb of his pulse. “Are you comfortable?”  
  
But Sasuke looks calm, collected, and very much in control. He smirks. “I am…are you?”  
  
Naruto’s gaze flits to Sasuke’s, and he nods quickly before letting his hands fall away, sitting back down at his easel.  
  
If Naruto thought he couldn’t concentrate before, he was sorely, _sorely_ mistaken.  
  
The steady fall and rise of Sasuke’s chest as he breathes, the soft complement of the bed-sheet against his skin, the pale pink of his nipples, hard and just begging for Naruto to roll them between his teeth.  
  
Naruto can’t stop the tongue that roves over his lips.  
  
“Stop staring at me and paint the goddamn portrait,” Sasuke clips.  
  
Naruto jerks back to reality and looks up into Sasuke’s eyes, noting that he no longer looks so calm and cool. In fact, he looks very irritated. Naruto narrows his eyes in challenge. “Why?” He is surprised to see the slightest tint of red color Sasuke’s cheeks, though his lips remain in a tight line. But the silent exchange is clear. Naruto flushes and slowly lowers his gaze until he’s at Sasuke’s groin. “Oh,” he breathes. He continues to stare, and his heart jumps when the sheet gradually begins to rise. His blatant staring at Sasuke’s naked body is making him hard.  
  
And something inside him snaps.  
  
Naruto gets up, dropping his brush so it lays forgotten on the tarp. He quickly crosses the distance to get to Sasuke, grabbing the back of Sasuke’s hair and tangling his fingers in it as Sasuke stares up at him. He holds Sasuke’s eyes, noting that there are little speckles of red in his dark irises that he hadn’t noticed before.  
  
Sasuke’s lips slowly lift from an irritated frown to a satisfied smirk, his fingers sliding up beneath Naruto’s shirt, “Took you long enough.” The sheet falls between Sasuke’s legs as he is tugged up for a kiss, Naruto’s lips crushing against his as his fingers tighten nearly painfully in his hair. Sasuke stands up fully, his head titling down into the kiss.  
  
Naruto moans, every bit of his senses weighted with Sasuke’s scent and the feel of his skin. He forces his tongue into Sasuke’s mouth, desperate for more of him as his hands fall to the small of Sasuke’s back and jerk him closer.  
  
Sasuke’s tongue tangles with Naruto’s, the sheet falling away completely and crumpling on the floor. He grunts as his erection rubs against the coarse material of Naruto’s jeans and his hands nimbly work between them to undo the zipper and button.  
  
Naruto gasps as Sasuke’s hands slide around him, slipping into his boxers from behind and grabbing two firm handfuls of his ass. “Fuck,” he whispers against Sasuke’s mouth, before abruptly shoving the other man back onto the couch.  
  
Naruto keeps his eyes on Sasuke as he fumbles out of his pants, loving the paint streaks he has left by running his hands over Sasuke’s body  
  
He finally kicks off his boxers but Sasuke has grown impatient. He grabs Naruto’s arm, yanking him down and climbing on top of him, effectively silencing a protest when he forces his hips down against Naruto’s.  
  
Naruto’s mouth opens with a loud moan, his head pressing back into the cushions as Sasuke pants against his throat, their hips thrusting frantically against each other.  
  
Sasuke works his hand under Naruto’s left knee, lifting it up to Naruto’s chest, opening him obscenely.  
  
Naruto’s hand clutches at the top of the couch, his eyes squeezing shut. “Uhn, yeah,” he groans. He pivots upward, relishing in the feel of Sasuke hard and hot against him. His shirt is plastered to his skin, riding up higher and higher as he moves with Sasuke.  
  
Their bodies are both streaked with paint, they’re sweating and panting and so heady with each other that nothing else even matters.  
  
The only thing running through Naruto’s mind as Sasuke grinds down on him, tightly squeezes his hand beneath his thigh and lets it go before squeezing again is, _Fuck, it feels so good._ He realizes he has said it out loud when Sasuke lifts his head and kisses him deeply. He pulls away a bit and puts his fingertips over Naruto’s mouth. “It’s just a taste,” he whispers as his first two fingers slide between Naruto’s lips, dipping in and out and glistening with Naruto’s saliva.  
  
Naruto grins as Sasuke pulls his hand away and presses tighter against him. His nails run down Sasuke’s back, leaving red streaks on sweaty skin marred with paint.  
  
Sasuke’s saliva drenched fingers press between them and tease at Naruto’s hole, circling around the ring of muscle and making it quiver.  
  
A hiss of air is sucked in between Naruto’s teeth as Sasuke sinks his middle finger knuckle-deep inside of him, carefully wriggling it in the rest of the way. He curls it inward, touching Naruto’s prostate, and massages the little gland with the tip of his finger, earning a long, drawn out moan from Naruto.  
  
Naruto is flushed with pleasure and has a smile on his face, his hips rocking faster as Sasuke continues to rub that spot inside him. “C’mon, baby,” he growls, using his hand to force Sasuke to buck forward against him.  
  
Sasuke moans and bites at his throat, that finger becoming as merciless as their thrusts.  
  
It isn’t much longer before Sasuke goes stiff, a choked yell torn out of him as short streams of white jet out and smear between their stomachs. He pants softly and without a word, gets up on his knees.  
  
Sasuke tugs Naruto in, his legs spread out lewdly around Sasuke. He grabs Naruto’s cock, hard and so very close, and pumps it with short, jerky movements.  
  
Naruto’s eyes are half-lidded as he groans loudly; holding Sasuke’s stare before he tosses his head back and his body arches sharply, fingernails digging into the back of the couch as Sasuke strokes him to completion. Sasuke looks down and watches Naruto’s cum spill over his fingers as he milks him to the last drop. He smirks when Naruto’s body drops back onto the couch with a soft bounce and a satisfied sigh.  
  
“Goddamn,” Naruto whispers, burying his fingers into his spiky hair as he comes down from the sexual high.  
  
Sasuke’s hand, still streaked with paint and Naruto’s semen, lays itself over Naruto’s chest as he leans forward, so he is hovering over Naruto. “I wanted to do that the second I saw you walk into the restaurant.”  
  
Naruto stares up at him, and then lets out a snort. “Sure got one hell of a way of showing it.” Sasuke frowns at him, his brow furrowing as he looks away from Naruto.  
  
Naruto squints, and they are silent for a moment before Naruto links his hands behind his head and knocks Sasuke’s side with his knee. “Hey,” he calls, and grins as Sasuke looks back at him. “So I kinda like you.”  
  
A little startled laugh escapes Sasuke. “Idiot,” he whispers.  
  


* * *

 

  
Sakura’s bottom lip trembles as she stares at the painting in her hands: a portrait of Sasuke, naked, flushed, covered in paint and sweat with messy hair. At the bottom, the title says _Appropriately Ravished._  
  
“Of course he would be gaaaaay!” she wails.  
  
Naruto chuckles nervously and scratches the back of head. “Sorry, Sakura, it was kinda unexpected.” She huffs and continues to gaze watery-eyed at the painting.  
  
Kiba waves a hand at her. “Naah, don’t mind her, she’s already moved on to that Sai dude.”  
  
Sakura’s eyes flutter shut as she raises her head, “Unless he turns out to be gay too! And Naruto uses his penis to steal him from me!”  
  
Naruto rolls his eyes as Kiba laughs. “So, Naruto, you and Sasuke going steady now or what?”  
  
Naruto nods. “Yeah, got a date with him tonight; I promised his mom we’d swing by so she could treat us.”  
  
Kiba rubs his nose and frowns. “Careful with that woman dude, she takes pictures and shit, it’s freaky. She wouldn’t leave Itachi and me alone.”  
  
“Weird,” Naruto says.  
  
“Yeah man, she was squealing and everything.”  
  
Naruto shakes his head and laughs, “No, that your hairy ass didn’t break the camera.”  
  
Sakura giggles as Kiba promptly backhands Naruto’s face.


End file.
